Electrical and gas corporations: new construction: application: analysis of greenhouse gases.

Senator Cabaldon's utility infrastructure proposal adds greenhouse gas emissions analysis to California's requirements for new electrical and gas facility construction applications. The measure modifies the Public Utilities Code's existing application process, which currently mandates engineering plans, implementation timelines, and cost analyses for proposed plants, lines, and extensions.

Under the new provisions, utilities must evaluate and report the greenhouse gas emissions projected over the full operational lifespan of any proposed infrastructure. This analysis joins the existing application components, which include preliminary design specifications, construction management plans, and comparative cost studies of alternative power sources. The Public Utilities Commission would review these emissions assessments as part of its standard certification process for new utility projects.

The measure maintains the current enforcement framework, where violations of Commission requirements constitute criminal offenses. While the bill creates new obligations for utilities, it explicitly states that no state reimbursement is required for local agencies to implement these changes, as the requirements fall under existing regulatory compliance categories.